Research Product

Silversides occur in estuaries along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia, is a resident of estuaries from Maine to northern Florida. It occurs at intermediate to high salinities, typically of 12 to 30 parts per thousand (ppt), and remains in Atlantic estuaries throughout most of the year. Recent evidence indicates an offshore migration at northern latitudes in the fall and reappearance of adults in estuaries in late spring. This species is an important component in estuarine ecosystems, serving as forage fish for commercially and recreationally valued species such as striped bass, bluefish and spotted seatrout. Although culturing methods described in this section were written primarily for Menidia menidia, they are also suitable for the inland silverside, M. beryllina, and the tidewater silverside, M. peninsulae. The staff of the Environmental Research Laboratory, Gulf Breeze, Florida, is currently developing procedures for spawning, culturing, and testing of other fishes, including the California grunion, Leuresthes tenuis, and the Pacific surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus. The availability of these fishes as test organisms will permit the use of indigenous fish in toxicity tests of wastes discharged along the entire coast line of the contiguous United States and Alaska.